The state temporarily closed three restaurants in Broward and Palm Beach counties last week for violations that included roaches crawling on “clean and sanitized dishes” and an employee wiping hands with a dirty cloth before picking up cooking tongs.
The Sun Sentinel typically highlights restaurant inspections conducted by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation in Broward and Palm Beach counties. We cull through inspections that happen weekly and spotlight places ordered shut for “high-priority violations,” such as improper food temperatures or dead cockroaches.
Any restaurant that fails a state inspection must stay closed until it passes a follow-up. If you spot a possible violation and wish to file a complaint, contact Florida DBPR. (But please don’t contact us: The Sun Sentinel doesn’t inspect restaurants.)
BROWARD COUNTY
Barracuda Seafood Bar & Grill
123 NE 20th Ave., Suite 7, Deerfield Beach
Ordered shut: April 24
Why: 13 violations (one high-priority), including:
- About 17 live roaches in kitchen “crawling on wall and in wall crevices next to food prep table,” “on floor in front of cook line” and “on [caster] wheels at reach-in cooler opposite cook line,” as well as “on wall underneath cleaned utensil rack above triple sink in ware-wash area.”
- “Four dead roaches observed on bottom shelf of food prep table next to reach-in cooler in kitchen.”
- “Clam and mussel tags not marked with last date served.”
- “Ceiling tiles and vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance throughout kitchen and prep area.”
Status: Remained closed on April 25 after a follow-up inspection found 12 violations (one high-priority). Reopened April 26 after a third visit found five intermediate and basic violations.
Sapido Restaurant and Cafe
111 SE Eighth Ave., Fort Lauderdale
Ordered shut: April 23
Why: Four violations (two high-priority), including:
- About seven live roaches and 12 dead roaches “observed in kitchen next to two-door, reach-in cooler.”
- Raw ground beef stored over “washed, ready-to-eat eggplants” in kitchen’s two-door, reach-in cooler.
Status: Reopened April 24 after a second inspection found one intermediate violation.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
El Centenario
6376 Forest Hill Blvd., Greenacres
Ordered shut: April 21
Why: Nine violations (five high-priority), including:
- About five roaches “in kitchen above steam table crawling on wall, clean and sanitized dishes, and box of sealed cans.”
- About 13 dead roaches in kitchen “on shelf used to store clean and sanitized dishes,” “on the floor in between low-boy, reach-in coolers and fryer, next to chip warmer” and “on bottom shelf of steam table inside of cardboard box storing canned goods,” as well as “on floor against wall” at a bar.
- “Employee handled cloth used to wipe and clean counters to wipe hands before handling tongs used to cook chicken and steak.”
- Time/temperature issue involved tomato salsa.
- Stop sale ordered for cheese sauce and cooked chorizo “due to temperature abuse.”
Status: Reopened April 22 though a follow-up inspection found two high-priority violations.
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